Device for orienting whip stocks



Search R00 O. BARES El AL DEVICE FOR ORIENTING WHIP STOCKS Nov. '9, 1937.

Filed July 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Search 00m v 2552,mmaomms 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O BARES El AL DEVICE FOR ORIENTING WHIP STOCKS F l d J 1y 2 7 Mfl Ill! 1 I? villlvlivfiiir aiillalavllvllvllll I! I I lllilll!ill rllvlnlvl Nov. 9, 1937.

EAHIH BUHINU,

Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES Search Room PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR ORIENTING WHIP STOCKS Ovide Bares, Sulphur, Ed Boy I. Bares, Vinton,

Application July 23, 1936, Serial No. 92,092

10 Claims.

This invention relates to orienting apparatus.

Aln object of the invention is to provide novel means for locating a whip stock in the desired position in a well.

As is well known to those familiar with the art of well drilling it often happens that the well becomes obstructed so that drilling can not be continued in the original bore and the obstruction must be side tracked and drilling continued through the new bore formed by side tracking the obstructed bore. For the purpose of side tracking the obstruction, it is common practice to locate a deflector, commonly known as a whip stock, in the well at a point above the obstruction where it is desired to side track.., This whip stock has a sloping guide face and when the whip stock is located a milling'tool is lowered by an operating string and is deflected. by said face against the side wall of the well casing, said milling tool being rotated until the casing is perforated. This perforation is elongated downwardly as the milling operation proceeds and upon completion of the operation the milling tool is withdrawn and the drill lowered into the well and drilling proceeds through the opening in the casing formed by the milling tool. The location of the new bore which is formed, with relation to the obstructed bore, will be determined by the position of the tapering guide face of the whip stock. It is desirable that this be known to the operator and in order to give the information required the invention herein described has-been designed which will indipateto theoperator the exact position of the whip stock when located in the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described by the use of which a signal will be given to the operator when the whip stock in the well is oriented to the same position it occupied when it entered the upper end of the well.

It is a further feature of the invention to provide electrically operable means which is associated with the whip stock and lowered therewith in the well and which will automatically transmit a signal to the operator to indicate that the whip stock is in the desired position for setting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a whip stock orienting device which is of very simple construction and which may be cheaply and easily produced and repaired and which is positive and certain in operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation tocertain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of the apparatus as mounted in a coupling of the string of pipe by means of which the whip stock is lowered into the well and set.

Figure 2 shows a wiring diagram.

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of -Figure 1, and

Figure 4 shows a side view partly in section showing the operating string connected to the whip stock to be lowered and showing the coupling containing the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral l designates a coupling forming a housing and which is connected to the lower end of the tubular string 2 by means of which the whip stock and orienting device may be lowered into the well. The lower end of the string 2 beneath the coupling may be connected to the upper end of the whip stock 3 by means of a frangible pin 4 and when the whip stock is properly set and anchored in the Well casing 5, the pin 4 may be sheared and the setting string withdrawn as is common practice and as is well known to those familiar with the art of well drilling. As hereinbefore indicated the whip stock should be set in position to deflect the milling tool so that the original bore will be side tracked in a previously selected direction. The apparatus presently to be described enables the operator to accomplish this purpose. When the whip stock is lowered to the desired location it may be anchored in the well casing in any conventional manner, various means having been heretofore employed for fixing the whip stock in the casing.

Located within the coupling I there is a housing 6, preferably cylindrical in form and whose upper and lower ends are closed by the upper and lower end plates 1, 8 which are bolted thereto and which CIOSG'thB housing against the entrance of liquid. The coupling l is of special formation having the inwardly extended spacers 9 at the upper end of the housing, the intermediate spacers H), II and the lower inwardly extended spacing supports l2, the latter of which support the housing and the former of which centers the housing in the coupling. The spacer II is tubular in form and has a threaded con-; nection with the wall of the coupling for a purpose to be hereinafter stated. Anchored within the housing there is a shield l3 which is shown as extending transversely of the housing and is anchored to the walls thereof and contains the electromagnet I4. This magnet is of tubular formation and contains the axially slidable core I5 forming a hammer. A flexible diaphragm I6 has its outer margin secured to the shield I3 and its inner margin attached to said hammer to support the same centrally of the electromagnet. The core or hammer I5 has an axial bore I'I whose outer end is enlarged forming the socket I8. Concentric with the bore N there is a plug which extends through and has a threaded connection with the wall of the housing. Attached to the inner end of this plug there is a guide rod 20 which extends into the bore to guide the hammer I5. A coil spring 2| surrounds the guide rod 20 and is interposed between the inner end of the plug I9 and the bottom of the socket. The plug I9 has an outwardly extended contact lug 22 arranged to be brought into and out of contact with the tongue 23 by suitably turning the plug I9. The outer end of the plug I9 has a wrench socket 24 accessible through the tubular spacer II whereby the plug may be turned to bring the electrical contact 22 into or out of contact with the tongue 23 whereby to complete or break an electrical circuit as will be hereinafter explained.

Suitably mounted in the housing is a source of electrical energy such as a battery 25.

The invention embodies also a gyro-compass indicated generally by the numeral 26.

This gyro-compass will now be described. The numerals 21, 21, designate outwardly curved, arcuate, side bars whose upper and lower ends are anchored to the respective upper and lower discs 28, 29 which are formed of insulating material and which are pivotally mounted to rotate with respect to the corresponding upper and lower fixed discs 36, 3|, formed of insulating material, the former of which is carried by the end plate I and the latter of which is mounted on the shield I3. The discs 29, 3| carry the respective circular contact rings 32, 33. The side bars 21, 21 and the upper and lower discs form a supporting framework which is pivoted to rotate on a vertical axis and fixed tothis frame there is a spur gear 34 which is in mesh with a corresponding gear 35. The gear 35 is fixed on a stub shaft 36, which is rotatable in a bearing extending through the housing 6. The coupling I has a radial bore 31 which extends through one of the spacers 9 and is in alignment with the shaft 36. The outer end of the shaft 36 has a transverse slot 38 therein to receive a screw driver which may be inserted through the bore 31 whereby the shaft 36 and gear 35 may be turned to adjust said framework about its vertical axis. A ring 39 is mounted within the framework, above referred to, to pivot about a vertical axis, and within said ring 39 and mounted thereon to pivot on a horizontal axis is the circular motor frame 46 in which is mounted an electric motor 4|. The rotor of the motor is mounted to revolve on a transverse axis at approximately right angles to the axis on which the frame 40 is mounted to pivot and the rotor is equipped with the momentum wheel 42. The motor thus forms in effect a gyroscope.

Leading from the positive terminal 43 of the battery there is a current conductor 44 which leads to the motor frame and one to the motor winding as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 and is grounded at 45 where the motor circuit is completed.

Leading from the negative terminal 46 of the battery is a conductor 51 which is connected to the tongue 23 and thence through the contact 22 and is grounded at 48. The motor circuit therefore, may be completed by turning the plug I9 to bring the contact 22 into contact with the tongue 23 and may be broken by turning the plug I9 in reverse direction as is obvious. While the motor is running the momentum wheel 42 will rotate in the same plane irrespective of the rotation of the coupling I and housing 6 mounted therein.

The current conductor 49 is connected to the positive terminal 43 and leads through the electromagnet I4 and terminates in a contact 50 which upstands from the hammer I5 and which is positioned to move into and out of contact with the contact 5| which is anchored in the housing. A conductor 52 leads from the contact 5| and is connected to the lower contact ring 33. Leading from the upper contact ring 32 there is an electrical conductor 53 which leads to a contact point 54 mounted on one of the side bars 21 of the framework, and normally in contact with a similar contact point 55 on ring 39 and grounded at 45.

The current conducting means hereinabove referred to are suitably insulated in the usual manner. The contacts 56, 5I are yieldingly mounted, as shown in Figure 1, and the latter may be adjusted relative to the former by means of the adjusting screw 56 threaded through the wall of the housing 6.

When the contact point 22 is turned out of contact with the tongue 23 the motor circuit will be broken and the motor will be inoperative.

In use the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is mounted in the coupling I and assembled with the string 2 and with the whip stock 3 connected to the lower end of said string. The whip stock is then lowered into the upper end of the well with its sloping or deflecting face 5'! facing toward the side of the casing 5 to be perforated. During the process of assembling the apparatus and starting the whip stock into the well, the plug I 9 is turned to break the motor circuit, but when the whip stock is ready to be lowered, the plug I9 is turned to complete the motor circuit and start the motor. The momentum wheel 42 will rotate with the rotor of the motor and will tend to rotate in the same plane, upon the well known principle of operation of the ordinary gyroscope and irrespective of variations in the position of the housing 6 or the operating string of pipe within which said housing is located.

When the apparatus is assembled and the whip stock is lowered into the upper end of the well, its face 51 is directed in the desired position. The stub shaft 36 is then turned to bring the contacts 54, 55 into contacting relation and the plug I9 is turned to complete the motor circuit and the motor is started. The circuit through the electromagnet is also completed. This magnet will operate to withdraw the core or hammer I5 compressing the spring 2| and separating the contacts 50, 5|, whereupon the circuit through the magnet will be broken and the spring will drive the hammer I5 forwardly into contact with the housing 6 again completing the circuit through the magnet and thus causing successive impacts of the hammer against the housing. However, before further lowering the whip stock, the shaft 36 is further turned so as to separate the contacts 54, 55 and break the circuit through the magnet and the whip stock is then lowered with the motor still running until the desired location is reached. The operating string 2 is then slowly turned until the contacts 54, 55 are brought into contacting relation and the whip stock will then be positioned in exactly the same relation to the well that it was when said contact points were brought into contacting relation at the top of the well. The completion of the circuit will again start the operation of the hammer l5 as before and the impacts of the hammer will be audible at the ground surface, thus giving notice to the operator that the deflecting guide of the whip stock is facing in the proper direction and the whip stock then may be set and the pin 4 sheared and the operating string withdrawn. The coupling I should then be broken out and the housing removed and the circuits broken and thus render the device inactive until it is to be again use-d.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electro-magnet for retracting the impact member, mechanical means for actuating the impact member, a source of electrical energy, a circuit leading from said source through said electro-magnet, means for completing the circuit to effect retraction of said member and for breaking said circuit to permit actuation of said member.

2. In a device of the character described, a housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electro-magnet for actuating the im pact member, a source of electrical energy, a circuit leading from said source through said electromagnet, means for completing and breaking said circuit, said making and breaking means including an electrical contact stationary with respect to the housing and a contact independent of the rotation of the housing.

3. In a device of the character described, a housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electromagnet effective, when energized, to actuate the impact member in one direction, mechanical means for actuating the impact member in another direction, a source of electrical energy, a gyro-compass, a current conductor leading from said source through the electro-magnet and including electrical contacts controlled by the gyro-compass and housing respectively and arranged to be brought into and out of contacting relation by selected movements of the housing, whereby the circuit through the magnet may be completed and broken.

4. In a device of the character described, a housing, an inpact rnjg ber reciprocable in the housing, anelectro-magneteifc'five,"when energized, to actuate the impact member in one direction, mechanical means for actuating the impact member in the other direction, a source of electrical energy, current conducting means forming a circuit leading from said source through the electromagnet and including electrical contacts, one arranged to move with the housing upon rotation of the housing about a vertical axis and means for maintaining the other contact against such movement when the housing is rotated, whereby, upon such rotation of the housing, said contacts will be moved into and out of contacting relation whereby said circuit may be completed and broken.

Search Room 5. In a device of the character described, a housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electromagnet for actuating the impact member, a source of electrical energy, a circuit leading from said source through said electromagnet, means for completing and breaking said circuit, said making and breaking means including an electrical contact arranged to move with the housing upon rotation of the housing, a gyroscope, an electrical contact arranged to be maintained, by the gyroscope, against rotation when the housing is rotated whereby said contacts may be brought into and out of contacting relation.

6. In a device of the character described, a housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electromagnet for actuating the impact member, a source of electrical energy, a circuit leading from said source through said electromagnet, means for completing and breaking said circuit, said making and breaking means including an electrical contact arranged to move with the housing upon rotation of the housing, a gyroscope, an electrical contact arranged to be maintained against rotation, by the gyroscope, when the housing is rotated whereby said contacts may be brought into and out of contacting relation, an electric motor for driving the gyroscope, an electrical circuit leading from said source through the motor and switch means for making and breaking the motor circuit.

'7. The combination with an operating string for lowering a whip stock into the well, of a signalling device carried by the string and including a housing, a reciprocable member in the housing, an electromagnet, a source of electrical energy, current conducting means for completing an electrical circuit through said magnet from said source whereby said magnet may be energized to actuate said member in one direction, mechanical means for actuating said member in the other direction into contact with the housing, said circuit including contact points arranged to complete the circuit upon rotation of the string to a predetermined pbsitio'fif'on ofsaid contact points bing r"6t'atable"witl'i"'the string and a gyroscopic device supporting the other point against rota.- tion when the string is rotated, whereby said contact points may be brought into and out of contacting relation upon rotation of the string about a vertical axis.

8. In a device of the character described, a housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electromagnet for actuating the impact member, a, source of electrical energy, a circuit leading from said source through said electromagnet, means for completing and breaking said circuit, said making and breaking means including an electrical contact, means for moving said contact to a selected position and for maintaining said contact at said selected position and a contact independent of the rotation of the housing.

9. In a device of the character described, a

housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electromagnet for retracting the impact member, means for actuating the impact member upon such retraction, a source of electrical energy, a circuit leading from said source through the electro magnet, means for completing and breaking saidcircuit, said making and breaking means including an electrical contact arranged to move with the housing upon rotation of the housing, a gyroscope, an electrical contact arranged to be maintained by the gyroscope against rotation when the housing is rotated, whereby said contacts may be brought into and out of contacting relation.

10. In a device of the character described, a housing, an impact member reciprocable in the housing, an electromagnet for retracting the impact member, means for actuating the impact member upon such retraction, a source of electrical energy, a circuit leading from said source through the electromagnet, means for completing and breaking said circuit, said making and breaking means including an electrical contact arranged to move with the housing upon rotation of the housing, a gyroscope, an electrical contact arranged to be maintained by the gyroscope against rotation when the housing is rotated, whereby said contacts may be brought into and out of contacting relation, an electric motor operatively connected with the gyroscope and connected into said circuit and manually operable switch means for making and breaking the circuit through the motor.

OVIDE BABES. ROY I. BARES. 

